When Bad Things Happen to Bad Characters

Some characters exist to be loved and rooted for.

Others exist to present a challenge for the protagonists to overcome.

And then there are the ones who aren't influential enough to drive the plot, so they can't be major villains... but they're just too obnoxious for you to cheer for them, so they'd make terrible main protagonists.

They're side characters who make you want to smack them with every move they make... and yet, you love watching them, because their universe obligingly smacks them for you.

When she screams about something, she often caused it, she usually deserves it, and it usually made me laugh.

Jool and Rygel from Farscape, Sawyer from Lost, Anton from Catgirl Roommate... all of these are great examples of characters who -at least at first - seem to exist largely for the story to crap on them for our enjoyment.

And I have to admit, I do enjoy it, because whether through whining, obnoxiousness, picking on my favorite characters, or blatant amoral selfishness, they've made themselves a prime target for poetic justice, and the story delivers.

Some of them manage to grow out of the box in which they originate. They stop whining (or whine less), make friends with the former victims of their bullying, or maybe show a noble streak that can't help but sneak through the selfishness now and then.

Or they find ways to be so entertaining or oddly endearing that they become likable despite their bad traits, even if those traits are still dominant. I'm looking at you, Dominar Rygel.

But even if they redeem themselves somewhat, I still tend to smile a bit when their latest moment of misbehavior backfires on them. Especially when a character like that finds his way into one of my own stories.

Readers, meet Anton.
Anton, try not to insult the readers.

A few days ago, the latest addition to the Catgirl Roommate cast invited himself into Sam's house without warning or consent, came swanning through the kitchen, and made himself at home.

Fortunately for Sam, Anton was less sneaky than his fellow side character, Jack, and I was ready for him.

As the obnoxious, cocky, perverted young college student went swaggering through Sam's house, a hilarious series of booby traps lay waiting in the plot, and Sam's long history of coping with this bull in his china shop was avenged by the inevitable results of a jerk encountering a catgirl.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and I think you'll enjoy reading it just as much. If you'd like to get the book for a steep discount, you can pre-order your copy on this page.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you.

Do you know a character who tends to bring comical justice down on themselves?

What's the funniest (non-spoilery) thing their story has done to punish them for being whiny/annoying/a jerk?

I look forward to reading and laughing at your comments.